Warders’ rising sick toll blamed on overwork

Chronic
overcrowding in the UK’s prisons has led to a huge rise in stress and sickness
absence among prison officers.

New
figures produced by the Liberal Democrats show that the rising prison
population has led to a 34 per cent increase in warders’ sickness absence, with
115,000 days a year being lost to ill health.

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The
sector is also suffering major skills shortages, with more than 1,000 unfilled
vacancies recorded for warders at prisons across the country.

Annette
Brooke, pensions spokeswoman for the LibDems, said the situation was creating a
crisis in morale, and as a consequence, increasing the danger of riots and
assaults.